


You had me at "is it hot down there, so close to Hell?"

by whisperingtales



Category: The Folk of the Air - Holly Black
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/M, cardan reaches it for her, jude can't reach a book, jurdan banter, smol jude, they might kiss, tol cardan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-26
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-17 13:47:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29718084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whisperingtales/pseuds/whisperingtales
Summary: “Tell me. Is it hot down there, so close to Hell?”“Bite me.”“Gladly.”College AUA one shot based on the request “jude wanting to grab a book or something from a tall shelf and not being able to reach it and cardan mocking her for being shorter than him and bringing the thing down to her or lifting her up to reach it, basically cardan tol and jude smol and their banter.”
Relationships: Jude Duarte/Cardan Greenbriar
Comments: 13
Kudos: 60





	You had me at "is it hot down there, so close to Hell?"

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! It’s very short and a little rushed so I apologize but I enjoyed writing it so I hope you enjoy reading it as well :)

She stared at the ticking clock, as if the hour would go by faster. Doodling on paper, nibbling at her pencil, looking at goddamned Cardan Greenbriar. Nothing short of almost dying of boredom, she was glad to hear the professor say “that’s all for today.”

Fortunately for Jude, it was lunch time. The only time of the day she didn’t have to deal with thickheaded students, awkward conversations, and arrogant bastards. Lunch was sacred. She ate with both her sisters, who usually had some of the most dramatic stories to tell, such interesting lives they had. They annoyed Jude to no end, but they were also the only people she could tolerate. 

“He took me to the rosedal the other day, it was so romantic,” Taryn commented with a smile on her face.

Ugh, Jude’s least favourite topic. Well —picturing a certain boy with curly black hair, and the most piercing eyes, just as dark—, her second least favourite topic. Locke. Taryn’s new boyfriend, and Jude’s despicable ex. He’d tried to play them both at the same time, but after Jude called it quits, her sister didn’t seem to care. 

She rolled her eyes.

“He’s a total dick, you know. You should break up with him,” Vivi voiced. Jude couldn't say she disagreed.

Taryn frowned. “You just don’t know him the way that I do.”

“He’s just as bad as the pricks he has for friends. Or worse, even.”

“You’re only saying that because you’re jealous that he picked me over you,” she spat at her twin.

Jude couldn’t believe the words coming out of her sister’s mouth. She dropped her fork on her salad bowl and questioned, “what’s the matter with you?”

  
  


“Nothing,” Taryn drew her stare towards the floor and then got up. “Excuse me,” she said, and left.

Vivi’s brows rose. “Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed today.”

“Tell me about it. Anyhow, I gotta leave you, Viv. There’s a paper due tomorrow that I haven’t even started.”

“So responsible,” she sighed and shook her head, playfully. “See you at home, smartass.” She blew a kiss at Jude.

Jude, who was already up and walking towards the library, showed her the middle finger, and a second later, heard her sister laugh.

The library was unusually packed, presumably with students, that just like her, had left their studying for the last minute. She sneaked past tables until she thankfully found an empty spot by the window. She looked at the clock. With fencing practice at five, she only had two hours to write the paper due the day after,  _ and _ study for her French exam in two days. She set down her bag on the nearest chair and sat beside it. 

“Crap,” she muttered. She’d forgotten her laptop at her dorm and her phone’s battery was practically empty. “Guess we’ll have to do this the old way.”

She stalked towards the shelves and searched for the books on the topic she needed.

“History and techniques of printmaking,” she murmured to herself, tapping her lip with her index finger. She looked up and down the shelf until she found a tome she deemed useful. “Bingo.” Though there was a slight problem. The book was too high up, even for her above average height.

Jude got on her tiptoes and stretched her arm up. Yet she still got no grip on the damned volume.

“Need a hand? Or perhaps a few inches on your head?” Mused a deep voice behind her back.

She turned around to find the one and only serpent of Insmire towering over her.

“Piss off.”

“Tell me. Is it hot down there, so close to Hell?”

“Bite me.”

“Gladly.”

Jude scowled. She once again faced the shelf and tried to reach for the book.

She felt warmth before a weight pressed down on her and a hand raised over her head. Cardan took hold of the tome as easily as one could rip paper.

“Enjoy your hunt.”

Jude waited for Cardan to go away but he just stayed there standing. As if waiting for something. She didn’t bother asking, and made her way back to her table. Without needing to look back, she knew the bastard was right behind her. And when she sat down, he followed.

“What do you want?” She demanded harshly.

“Nothing.” He seemed to be holding back laughter.

Jude sighed, annoyed, and rolled her eyes. She supposed she didn’t mind his presence as long as he remained silent.

“I suggest you look at page one hundred and fifty six, it’s got some good content.”

She knew she shouldn’t listen to him, but she wasn’t about to deny that had piqued her interest. Jude threw a subtle look Cardan’s way and, biting the inside of her cheek, she skimmed through the book until said page. She clenched her jaw, and glared at him after seeing the blatantly notable not-so-PG-13 picture on it.

“Jackass.”

He just laughed.

“Now quiet. That I really need to study.”

“Whatever you want, princess.”

Jude ignored his response and looked through the index for the specific topics she needed for the paper. 

No more than a few minutes had passed when Cardan got closer and leaned over her shoulder to have a clear view of the text and started reading aloud.

She shook him off with an expression that would make most people run far away from her.

“Stop bothering me. And quit breathing into my ear.”

He retreated at last. But only to curl a finger around Jude’s unbound locks.

She dropped the book on the table with a thud and glowered at him.

“Have I told you how insufferable you are?” 

He smiled sideways. “Have I told you how incredibly ridiculous you are?” 

“No.” Jude was glad to be annoyed into stopping staring at him. “Tell me.”

"I can't.”

Jude’s only indication of surprise was a blink. After that, there was a moment filled with the densest of silences. None of them dared bat an eye. None of them dared speak. Jude’s curl had fallen from Cardan’s hand, who was then strongly gripping the table.

None of them knew who’d moved first, all they were aware of, were the few inches that separated their faces. The closer they got, the faster their hearts beat.

But although they both seemed inclined to kiss, Jude shifted in her seat, her eyes back on the tome, her cheeks flushed. She saw Cardan swallow and close his eyes before he stood and stalked out of the library.

She didn’t see him at fencing practice, where he usually watched her from the stands. She didn’t see him two hours later at the park, on the bench he used to occupy. And she didn’t see him the next morning at breakfast. He showed up at class but spared no glances at her. He didn’t speak to her at all for a full week.

Jude’s heart ached with his absence and indifference. Yes, she hated him. But she also hated him not being around. 


End file.
